Following
an inauspicious first release for Island, John Martyn's unique brand
of acoustic music began to take some sort of shape with the Al Stewart-produced
The Tumbler. Martyn, whose debut was a solo acoustic offering, here
employs a second guitar, bass and, most notably, jazz flautist Harold
McNair to create his blend of folk, blues and jazz. While his songs
show only marginal development from London Conversation, it's his
arrangements and, especially, vocals which are the real differences,
each becoming increasingly more idiosyncratic. Although nowhere near
the caliber of his later recordings, The Tumbler is an important step
in Martyn's varied career.

- Brett Hartenbach (AMG)

John's
second album was released in December 1968. Another album in the folk
tradition but featuring the jazz flautist Harold McNair, particularly
on the romantic Dusty, The Gardeners and Fly On Home. As a young man
John stayed with his sister who lived near Hampton Court and the song
Dusty was inspired by his happy memories of Hampton Court Fair.

This album was produced by
Al Stewart and had more of a sparkle than London Coversation and John
said, "The album 'sings' a bit more than before."

Of his first two albums John
said, "Those were basically acoustic albums....I got bored with
the folk/acoustic thing. You can't keep churning that out, it stifles
innovation, kills the personal touch."